Some House Democrats are calling on Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) to resign or face expulsion after a bipartisan ethics panel found her guilty of 25 violations last week. That included a call this weekend from the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation," that a House floor vote would come if Cherfilus-McCormick does not step down.
"If she doesn't resign, there will be a vote in the House," Himes said. He added later in the interview, "I would hope that my colleague might avoid that outcome by choosing to resign."
Himes invoked the case of former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), expelled in 2023, and said both parties owe voters the same standard when it comes to their own members.
"It is also very important that both parties be consistent in punishing ethical lapses inside their own teams," Himes added.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) was among the first to go public with a call to resign on Friday, posting on X after the ruling: "You can't crime your way into legitimate power. Since she was found guilty, she should resign or be removed."
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and other House Democratic leadership have not called for her resignation, saying they want the full ethics panel process to play out first. Despite making a ruling already, the full committee will meet again after the April recess and hold a sanctions hearing to determine a recommended punishment.
Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios the congresswoman believes Cherfilus-McCormick “should resign," but said that Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) "must be pushed by Republicans to resign, too.” A representative for Balint confirmed those remarks to The Epoch Times.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has repeatedly said he would make a motion on the House floor to expel Cherfilus-McCormick following the committee's determination.
"As I have said before, this represents one of the most egregious breaches of public trust, particularly for her constituents in Florida," he said of the panel's findings in a post on X. "I will proceed with my motion to expel her once the final sanctions hearing concludes and the committee makes a recommendation to the House."
Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote.
The ethics violations center on Cherfilus-McCormick's family health care company, Trinity Health Care Services. Trinity received more than $14.3 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management for COVID-19 vaccination work in 2021, including at least $5.78 million in overpayments. Investigators allege at least $3.6 million of Trinity's funds were allegedly routed into her 2022 special election campaign through a network of family-controlled companies and bank accounts.
Cherfilus-McCormick also faces a federal indictment filed Nov. 19, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida. She and her brother Edwin Cherfilus are charged with conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, theft of government funds, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and eight counts of money laundering. She has pleaded not guilty.